Until recently, working exterior and interior marble substrates and slabs meant using exclusively old methodologies and techniques. Among the main ones we can mention polishing, bush-hammering, acid-etching, and sandblasting. These represent the classic techniques that are usually used to etch, mark and discolor marble. But in recent years, laser has overwhelmingly emerged as a refined marble engraving technique, mainly because of its countless benefits and advantages.

Today laser engraving is highly recommended for working with marble and engraving drawings, lettering and even photographs on it. It represents an especially suitable technique for engraving light and dark marbles. One can create decorative and home décor elements, create design objects and art objects, as well as customize tiles. 

So let’s see how this type of processing works and what are all the benefits related to it.  

How laser processing of marble works: tips and process

The laser processing of marble tends to whiten the color of its surface in order to reveal the white stone underneath. In this case, the marble is placed on the engraving table, causing the laser engraver to converge on the stone. For excellent results, 2-inch lenses are used for engraving. 

Before moving the marble off the table, it is also possible to examine the resulting image to see if it turns out to be sharp enough, possibly fine-tuning it for subsequent iterations. In any case, excessive strength should be avoided, as it contributes to a faded effect.

Usually the source used for engraving is the CO2 laser, which is ideal for creating very sharp and fine lettering and engraving, with resolution up to 1200 dpi. Laser engraving is able to penetrate marble a few millimeters, to make any decoration more vivid. In addition, the grooves created can also be filled with gold inks. 

Once the work is finished, any residual dust should be removed with a soft cloth.

How to: laser processing of marble

Marble laser engraving technology makes it possible to recreate, on slabs or substrates, decorations, textures for both outdoor and indoor use, fine lettering, logos for photographic companies and brands.

Thanks to the radio frequency laser with 1200-watt power, a marble operator is able to create unique and extraordinary effects on the working surface. Better results will also come from millimeter calculations of engraving spaces, proper use of excavation depths, and speed of execution in optimal production time.

Laser processing of marble: all the possible types of engraving

Thanks to the use of laser systems for marble processing, it is now possible to achieve engraving that is not only meticulous in every detail, but also long-lasting, weather resistant and does not fade over the years. 

Today many people are using the technique of laser engraving on marble, especially using Carrara marble. Indeed, this technology makes it possible to imprint lettering sharply, such as dates, names and commemorative phrases. All in an exceptional finish, characterized by a contrast that persists over time.

With laser processing of marble, it is also possible to personalize stones, tiles, bricks or any other solid, natural and organic surface. Any architect, gardener, builder, company, or retail store can take advantage of this type of technique to add value to their outdoor furniture or interior design.

Laser processing of marble: all the benefits

In general, the processing of marble without direct contact – as is the case with laser engraving – can greatly decrease the risk of accidental breakage of the marble itself. We know how this risk is a far from rare occurrence during marble engraving carried out through classical techniques.

Laser engraving also offers the possibility of being able to process different materials without the need to replace the machine. This is a great point in favor of laser machines for engraving marble, since the problem of tool wear, as is the case with contact processing, is completely eliminated.

Whenever a craftsman, skilled worker or marble worker works marble using traditional contact methods, they are forced to apply – and subsequently remove – a tool from the slab or block of marble being worked. They are therefore operating machinery that if not handled with care can be very dangerous. 

Laser engraving then offers additional advantages: 

Give your creativity free rein 

The easiness of use of the marble laser engraving machine allows for numerous types of decorations, designs and effects. Moreover, thanks to special software, they can later be reproduced in series at great speed

Maximum precision and increased detail finishing 

Marble laser engraving allows for the highest quality definition. In addition, a photograph with different shades of gray can also be printed on the marble surface – in this case, however, the surface must be fairly smooth. The speed of execution also promotes optimal production costs.

Increasing safety and control 

The fact that during laser processing of marble no waste materials-such as dust-are generated and remain suspended in the air, and that it does not require the use of dangerous tools, makes the operator’s work much safer than with classic processing techniques.

Energy savings and low environmental impact

Both from the point of view of energy consumption and the disposal of production waste, laser engraving on marble is perfect! 

Unlike classical processing, this technology does not require a large energy input to run the machine.

Moreover, the only processing waste produced by the laser is smoke and dust, thus bringing a big advantage from an ecological point of view as well. In fact, the laser has no processing waste, and the smoke produced – if properly filtered – can be released into the air.

Marble, the embodiment par excellence of refinement. Wood, an explosion of warmth. The combination of these two elements gives uniqueness and elegance to any environment. Today, marble has managed to free itself from a certain allure of solemnity and is reappropriating the spaces of the house to be simply experienced. Wood makes the atmosphere fragrant and warm.

In this article, we will reveal the secrets to combine marble and wood, and make the design of your spaces unique and elegant.

Matching marble and wood: the rule of 3 colors

Marble and wood are noble and natural materials. Both are available in different colors and types, so they can easily fit together within any environment. The result is a solid and elegant space – as long as the combination of the two materials is well thought out.

In order to get the ideal marble and wood combination, you must first follow the 3-color rule, that is, establish a palette of 3 colors to be used for the furniture – you can also possibly choose a fourth color for the details. This first approach is fundamental, since the colors of the furniture will drag the various colors of marble and wood towards themselves.

Of the three colors you’ve chosen, two of them should pick up on the main tones of the marble and wood, while the third color can also contrast – albeit slightly, for example by opting for a lighter or darker shade. Finally, to avoid too many chromatic stimuli, our advice is to choose fabrics and furniture of the three chosen colors.

Let’s take an example.
With a Calacatta marble, which has veins on the gray, the recommended color combination will be natural wood, white, gray, taupe or dark gray. If, on the other hand, you have opted for a dark marble with white nuances, the ideal will be a wood with medium or dark tones, white, black and metals to give shine. With a marble of warm and neutral colors you can use black, white, warm woods of medium tones and neutral colors.

How to combine marble and wood in the kitchen

In the kitchen, these two materials fit any style, from modern to more rustic decor. Generally, marble is used as a coating of the worktop and for the splashback. For more original solutions, we recommend that you consider these solutions:

• marble inlays on wood or vice versa;
• a kitchen top in wood on marble.

If you have an open kitchenette facing the living room, you could use marble and parquet for the floor together: the parquet hosts the table and the matching chairs, while the marble part hosts the kitchen furniture and the appliances. If there are small differences in thickness between the two types of floors, these can easily be compensated for through separating profiles – usually made of metal -, available in various finishes.

Bathroom: elegance and shine

Wood and marble have the great advantage of complementing each other excellently. This combination gives the possibility to create a special light even inside the bathroom, to make it perfect both functionally and aesthetically.

Marble lends itself very well to flooring, sanitary ware, sinks and bathtubs, being naturally water resistant and ideal for easy maintenance. Thanks to its aesthetic characteristics, this material allows you to add a luxurious and elegant touch to your bathroom.

Many design projects combine marble items with wooden cabinets and shelves. This choice allows you to achieve a unique and diverse look, but also to have enough space to store all kinds of objects. In the bathroom, for example, you can combine dark wood and light marble – such as white Carrara – or a wood of neutral shades with a more colorful marble. For houses with minimal and modern design, the combinations with black marble are very bold, but unparalleled luxury. With wood, on the other hand, you can create beautiful showers to recreate the environment of a spa.

Using marble and wood in the bathroom means making the most of the charm of these two materials, which with their refined beauty are able to create suggestive and cozy atmospheres.

Marble and wood in the living room: how to combine them

In the living room, a marble floor contributes to give the environment prestige and elegance. If you have a spacious living room, dark or black marble is ideal, especially for a modern or classic minimalist style home, where mirrors and natural light produce fascinating plays of light. Dark marble perfectly matches with light wood – painted or natural -, of structures of armchairs and sofas, tables, chairs and fixtures. With a light marble floor in beige or white tones, it is instead appropriate to choose classic furniture in warm shades or dark wood.

In the living room, the combination of wood and marble can also be used on a single element, such as a table with a marble top and a wooden structure. The opposite composition, i.e. a table with a sculptural marble base and a wooden top characterized by well-defined veins, is also very popular.

Another solution to combine these two materials in the living room is the mixed floor, which helps to create a very sophisticated environment. For a modern style, the floor can be furnished with a mixed floor of light-colored parquet and marble. In order to have a living room with a light and unique style, we recommend alternating tiles and strips of gray oak wood. Usually or for a floor of this type is used a prefinished wood parquet, which thanks to industrial treatments can resist very well to scratches, stains and mold.Whatever the style of your decor, the combination of marble and wood will only enhance it!

Is marble an inaccessible material and so difficult to use? Absolutely not: more and more architects and designers are using marble in their interior and exterior design projects.

What are the advantages? And why is it being used more and more?

Here are all its secrets!

Marble: a timeless beauty

Marble has always been associated with famous sculptures of the past and great architectural works. A study has shown that more than 50% of people tend to associate marble with famous monuments – about 27.3% – or with staircases or floors of great buildings – about 24.3%. This only goes to show how the prevailing idea is that marble is used in large-scale works.

Despite the fact that consumers are increasingly interested in the theme of furnishing, there are still few who really know the potential of marble, thinking that it is difficult – if not impossible – to maintain it at its best.

In reality this is not the case at all! The important thing is to choose the right stone for the various uses, so that it can be used in any environment. This is because marble is a durable and robust material, able to give any room in the house a natural feel.

Architects, designers and marble: a perfect match

Nowadays to defend the great value of marble are architects and designers, who tend to choose this valuable material in their projects.

We must never forget that stone represents thousands of years of history. Italy today needs to rediscover its origins also thanks to the use of a material that it knows and can manage very well. In this world of great development and competition, marble represents a brave as well as elegant choice.

The knowledge and mastery of these elements allows architects and designers to elaborate projects by choosing the most suitable stone for the clients’ requests, for the different environments of the house and for the different uses of it in the houses.

In addition to preserving the traditions and techniques of stone processing, thanks to processes of experimentation and innovation, in recent years it has been possible to develop new finishes, to find new innovative possibilities both in terms of technology and expression.

For us, true Architecture must be composed of few elements, but natural, just like stone and marble, which has the advantage of not needing extraordinary attention. It is beautiful, and remains so forever.

Why marble is the ideal choice for architects and designers

Marble is particularly appreciated for its intrinsic beauty and elegance. Moreover, it is akin to different processes that are able to extrapolate from the same type of marble multiple aesthetic yields. Once extracted from the quarry, the marble is supplied in flat slabs, which can vary from a minimum thickness of 1 cm to a maximum of 30 cm. In this way it can be easily worked and subsequently used as a finishing element. Marble can be used both as a wall covering and for flooring. In addition, thanks to many specific treatments, it is also used to make coatings for fireplaces and kitchen tops.

Among the techniques most used by architects and designers for the most sophisticated projects, there is that of inlays. Thanks to special machinery is in fact possible to intervene on the slabs to create unique inlays, so that through the combination of different types of marble are formed decorations and images. Generally, these processes are made on design and chosen in sizes and colors. The possibility of customization makes this processing very interesting for those who want to obtain original and unique products.

Thanks to these innovative processes, marble can actually become the protagonist of new uses and be inserted in many areas. Through the machinery for trimming and the applied technologies, it is possible to give marble new shapes, enhancing projects and ideas of architects and designers. They are the first ones to rely blindly on the use of this natural stone for finishes, walls, floors, wide hallways and bathrooms, giving every environment a shiny, natural and majestic effect.

The advantages of this extraordinary natural stone

Why, as an architect and designer, should you consider using this material in your projects?

It is part of an ancient tradition

Marble processing is particularly well-known in Italy. For this reason, buying and using a product created with this material means bringing a piece of typical Italian tradition into your everyday life.

It is created to resist

With proper care, marble can last a lifetime. This translates into the fact that the purchase of a product made with marble offers a long-term guarantee that can excite those who observe it as if it were always the first time.

It is splendid and elegant

Marble is one of the most beautiful materials on Earth. It is no coincidence that it has been used many times to create some of the most famous works of art in the world.

It is bathed in light

All the works worked with this natural stone are able to capture the sunlight, going to reflect it in a picturesque way on all the environments of garden or home. All this helps to create sensational and beautiful play of light.

Goes with everything

Thanks to its innate beauty and elegance, you can combine marble in any context. The use of marble is always a good idea, both in terms of design and utility.

Discover our materioteque